"We can confirm that we responded to an assault, and it's highly likely that charges would be laid, however, it is too early to say what those charges will be," a police spokesperson told Australia's ABC News.

Meanwhile, a Western Australia Police spokesman told the BBC that authorities are "currently investigating the incident and interviewing the individual concerned."

While certainly caught off guard by the incident, Joyce doesn't appear to be dwelling on the embarrassing moment.

"Well I think when you've been CEO of an airline for nine years there's a lot of things that happen over that period of time," said Joyce via ABC News. "This is different...it is an unusual event but these things happen."

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